At 13, Rose Geil noticed something that most girls her age wouldn't: she was growing facial hair, as well as hair on her chest and on other areas of her body.
Naturally, she became self-conscious. She started a strict shaving regimen, waking up early before school to remove any trace of facial hair. Not even her closest friends knew about it and she would avoid things like sleepovers, lest someone spot her stubble in the morning.
This went on for years, with Rose undergoing painful laser hair removal procedures, which were ineffective, and wore long pants and sleeves, even in the warm weather to hide her body hair. She was miserable.
But she was hardly alone. So many people, especially women, feel that they have to look a certain way in order to be accepted. This can lead to depression, eating disorders, and other unhealthy behaviors.
Luckily, many women, like plus-size model Olivia Campbell, are teaching all women to love their bodies, and Geil, now 39, is joining their ranks as an amazing role model.
Read her story below and see how one woman came to terms with something not many women face, all with amazing grace and style!
[H/T: Daily Mail]
This is Rose Geil. At 39, she'd spent most of her teen and adult years hiding a secret that she considered embarrassing: an unusual amount of body and facial hair.
She spent hundreds of hours and dollars beating back the hair, and countless more worrying and feeling down on herself.
Although she hasn't been officially diagnosed, Geil suspects that her thick body hair stems from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which sees elevated levels of male hormones in women and can result in hirsutism, or excess facial and body hair.
She tried laser hair removal, hormone treatments, and countless razors, but nothing seemed to work. And nothing made her feel better either.
"My friends did not know," she said. "I hid it very well. It was exhausting trying to keep it hidden."
And then, something changed. Geil did the complete opposite of what you might expect.
She stopped plucking, shaving, and waxing, and just let her hair grow.
"I was emotionally drained from trying to hide my beard every day and feeling like I was failing miserably," she explained.
8 months ago, she ditched the razors for good.
As a result, she feels fantastic!
She says there was some initial awkwardness when she revealed her beard to friends and family, but they rallied in support.
"It was more of an issue for me just being self-conscious and worrying about revealing myself and facing rejection," she said.
And let's not forget to mention that Geil can seriously pull off a beard!
But growing it out came with its own challenges, too. "Growing my beard was an incredible experience," she said.
"It was very difficult… emotionally and physically. In the beginning it was very uncomfortable, itchy and crawly. I had to fight the urge to shave."
But after six weeks — and a full, lush beard streaked with some dignified grays later — Geil was digging it and her friends and family were, too!
As it turns out, the public loved her new look, too.
Walking around in her native Oregon, Geil says strangers "do a double take," but that their reactions are mainly positive.
"I feel pretty with my beard," she said, "and I never felt pretty before."
Even though beards are usually associated with masculinity, Geil says her facial hair actually makes her feel more feminine.
"It's all about my attitude," she explained. "Giving myself the freedom to be exactly who I am. And because of that, I feel more womanly."
Her friends and family also say that since growing the beard, Geil has "blossomed," and that she's happier, more confident, more outgoing, and more at ease with herself.
Her Instagram, where she shows-off her beard and her style, has also blown up as a result, with fans and admirers contacting her from all over the world.
"Some of them get a little carried away," she joked. But, she takes it all in stride.
Hopefully, women around the world will follow in Rose's footsteps, finding beauty and femininity in their all-natural body.
If you're curious about PCOS, how it affects the body, and some of its symptoms and signs, check out the video below.
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